Coin changing mechanism



July 12, 1966 H. GREENWALD ETAL 3,2 0,337

. COIN CHANGING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 18 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 33 18's 3'2 2: 25 r 22A MOTOR INVENTORS HARRY GREENWALD 1 2 JACK H. MALEK N GEORGE AVLON \Q I20 ROBERT TUPPO ATTORNEY.

fJul 12, 1966 Filed Nov. 18, 1964 H. GREENWALD ETAL COIN CHANGING MECHANISM FIG. 3.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TRS lNV HARRY GRQN ALD JACK H. MALEK GEORGE AVLON ROBERT TUPPO ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,260,337 COIN CHANGING MECHANISM Harry Greenwald, Whitestone, N.Y., Jack H. Malek, Parsippany, N.J., and George Avlon, New York, and Robert Tuppo, Elmhurst, N.Y., assignors of one-third interest to Harry Greenwald, Whitestone, N.Y., onethird to Louis Wolff, Brooklyn, N.Y., and one-third to Harry Silberglait, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Filed Nov. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 411,976 7 Claims. (Cl. 19410) This invention relates generally to coin changing mechanisms and more particularly to coin changing mechanisms which are primarily adapted for use with an associated vending machine or similar device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a coin changing mechanism which will dispense a preselected amount of change when actuated and which is easily adapted to dispense different numbers and varieties of coins to meet specified requirements.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coin changing mechanism which is economic to manufacture and reliable in operation.

Accordingly, the coin changing mechanism of the present invention comprises a bottom and a top plate; the top plate is provided with coin receiving bores in which coin tubes for stacking preselected denominations of coins are received, and the bottom plate is provided with a like number of coin dispensing bores through which the coins to be dispensed pass. The axes of the coin receiving and coin dispensing bores lie on circles having the same radius and axis but the axes of the respective coin dispensing bores are off-set from the axes of the coin receiving bores. The coin tubes are removable and interchangeable and, as a result, a greater interchangeability of settings for the coin dispensing operation is possible than heretofore. A coin dispensing disc is rotatably mounted between the top and bottom plates and is similarly provided with a like plurality of bores as the top and bottom plates. The bores in the dispensing disc have a diameter which is larger than the diameter of the largest coin to be dispensed. Means are provided (which may be actuated by the insertion of a coin) for moving the dispensing disc from a first position wherein the bores in the dispensing disc are aligned with the coin receiving bores to receive coins from respective coin tubes, to a second position wherein each bore in the dispensing disc is aligned with a respective coin dispensing bore to simultaneously dispense the coins carried by the dispensing disc. The cycle of operation is completed when the dispensing disc is returned to the first position. In the present invention the means for rotating the disc may either comprise means for intermittently rotating the disc in one direction or means for oscillating the disc through a predetermined arc.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a coin changing mechanism wherein different settings of coins for dispensing purposes may be easily accomplished.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a common coin dispensing disc for all coins.

It is essential, in coin dispensing mechanisms, to make the mechanism inoperative and to so notify the purchaser (if the mechanism is utilized in a vending machine, for example) if the mechanism cannot dispense the required amount of coins as when a coin tube is empty. it is also of utmost importance to eliminate any possibility of the mechanism jackpotting (i.e., delivering more than the preselected amount of coins).

It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide a coin changing mechanism which automatically becomes inoperable when a coin tube is empty and which can only be actuated for one cycle of operation at any one time.

Thus, rotation of the dispensing disc is effected by a motor; the energizing circuit of the motor includes an empty sensing switch which opens when a coin tube is exhausted to prevent operation of the mechanism and which illuminates a coin empty indicator. The energizing circuit further includes a solenoid or relay actuated switch; however, the holding circuit for the solenoid per se, which closes upon insertion of a coin, is adapted to be broken by the motor through a positive mechanical linkage. Hence, after one cycle of operation, the motor de-energizes the solenoid which, in turn, releases the solenoid actuated switch and thereby de-energizes the motor to insure that the cycle of operation of the mechanism will not be repeated until another coin is inserted to actuate the mechanism.

The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the coin changing mechanism of the present invention, with parts broken away; 1:IgIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 22 of FIG. 3 is a partial schematic circuit diagram of the electrical elements of the coin changing mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view, with parts broken away, of a second embodiment of the coin changing mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a detailed sectional view of a portion of the oscillating linkage shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a detailed view, with parts broken away of the empty sensing switch shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical section view, with parts broken away, showing the use of an alternative arrangement for mounting the coin tubes shown in FIG. 2.

It is to be understood that the like numbers in the various figures indicate identical elements. For ease of reference, the left portion of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be denoted the front of the device while the opposite end will be denoted the rear.

A first embodiment of the coin changing mechanism of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and comprises a top plate 10, which supports the upstanding coin stacking tubes 19, a coin dispensing disc 30 and a bottom or base plate 20.

Bottom plate 20 is provided with a central hub 21 and a hub 22 adjacent the rear of plate 20. Hub 21 is provided with a bore 21A and hub 22 is provided with a bore 22A. The integral flanges 23 and 24 respectively project perpendicularly upwardly and downwardly from the peripheral edge of plate 20. Plate 20 is further provided with a plurality of circumferentially, equally spaced coin dispensing bores 25 which extend therethrough. The diameter of bores 25 are equal and are greater than the diameter of the largest coin to be dispensed; the axis of each bore 25 lies on a circle having an axis coaxial with the axis of bore 21A. As shown in FIG. 2, the walls of each bore 25 taper outwardly downwardly to facilitate passage of the coins therethrough. A coin chute 26 is connected to the bottom of plate 20 by any conventional means (not shown) and tapers downwardly frontwardly to cause coins passing through bores 25 to be channeled to the front of the mechanism.

A motor 27, of any conventional type, is connected to the bottom rear of plate 20 by any conventional means (not shown) and has a rotatable output shaft 28 which projects upwardly through bore 22A. The top of plate 20 is provided with a circular recess 29 concentric with bore 22A for the reasons noted hereinbelow.

Top plate is provided with a shoulder 40 about the bottom peripheral edge thereof which is sized and positioned to receive flange 23 in abutment so plate 10 rests upon plate 20 adjacent to the peripheral edges only and a recess 31 is formed between the plates, as noted below. Plate 10 is provided with a central hub 41, having a bore 41A therethrough, and a hub 42, having a bore 42A therethrough. The bores 41A and 42A are respectively aligned with bores 21A and 22A. A bolt 43 extends through bores 41A and 21A and has has a nut threaded on its end in abutment with plate 20 to secure plates 10 and 20 together. Shaft 28 extends upwardly through bore 42A. Additionally, plate 20 is provided with ears 45 which project from the side walls and plate 10 is provided with protruding ears 46. Ears 45 and 46 have threaded holes therein which threadedly receive screws 48 to further secure the top and bottom plates together.

As noted above, top plate 20 supports coin tubes 19. Thus, a plurality of circumferentially equally spaced coin receiving bores 11, equal in number to the plurality of bores 25, extend through top plate 10. Although four such bores 11 and, correspondingly, four bores 25 are provided in the present embodiment, each spaced from an adjacent bore by a fixed angle, it is to be understood that that is by way of illustration and not by way of limitation since any number of such bores may be provided; however the number of coin receiving bores must equal the number of coin dispensing bores. The diameters of bores 11 are equal and are greater than the diameter of the largest coin to be dispensed; the axis of each bore 11 lies on a circle having an axis coaxial with the axis of and having the same radius as the circle defining the loci of the axes of bores 25. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, bores 11 are positioned so each bore lies between a different pair of bores 25 in bottom plate 20. That is, each bore 11 in the embodiment illustrated is off-set at an angle from a respective bore 25 such that the plate 30, in the off-position, will reliably position a bore 33 under an empty sensing switch, in the manner noted below, and will also drop a coin through the bores 25 prior to picking up a next coin from the succeeding coin tube 19.

Each bore 11 is adapted to receive a respective removable coin tube support bushing 12A-12D therein which, in turn, supports a respective removable coin tube 19A 19D in a sliding fit. Since each of the bushings 12A- 12D and the associated coin tubes 19A-19D are similar, with the exceptions noted below, only one such bushing and coin tube will be described in detail. Thus, bushing 128, as shown in FIG. 2, comprises a downwardly projecting circular peripheral wall 13B having an external diameter slightly less than the diameter of bore 11 and a bottom edge which terminates above the bottom of plate 10. An integral circular flange 143 extends horizontally from the top thereof and is provided with three circumferentially spaced apertures 15. Plate 10 is correspondingly provided with three circumferentially spaced threaded holes 15A about bore 11 which are positioned to be in alignment with apertures 15. Thus, bushing 12B is secured in place by screws 16 which pass through apertures 15 and are threadedly received in holes 15A. Bushing 12B is provided with a central through bore 17B, of a preselected diameter, which terminates in an internal bead 18B adjacent the bottom edge thereof to form an internal shoulder. A removable coin stacking tube or coin tube 19B is received within bore 17B in a close sliding fit with the bottom edge of tube 19B resting on the shoulder formed by head 18B. Tube 19B is adapted to hold coins of a predetermined denomination in stacked relation therein. It is to be noted, for example, that the internal diameter of tube 190 is greater than that of tube 19D and, correspondingly, the diameter of bore 17C is greater than the diameter of bore 17D (FIG. 1). The reason for the difference in the diameters of respective tubes and associated bushings is due to the fact that the tubes are adapted to stack coins of different denominations. In the example chosen, tube 190 may stack twentyfive cent coins whereas tube 19D may stack five cent coins. The coin dispensing settings of the present device may be changed simply by removing one coin tube supporting bushing and associated coin tube, and substituting another bushing and tube adapted to supply coins of a different denomination or they may be removed altogether. Thus, in accordance with one object of the present invention, coin setting changing is greatly simplified and facilitated in the present device.

The bottom face of plate 10 terminates above the top face of plate 20 to define a recess 31 therebetween, as noted above. As shown in FIG. 2, a coin dispensing disc 30 is received between plate 10 and 20 in recess 31 and is provided with a central aperture 32 which receives the shaft of bolt 43 therethrough and is rotatable thereon. Disc 30 is provided with four circumferentially, equally spaced bores 33. The diameters of bores 33 are equal and are greater than the diameter of the largest coin to be dispensed and the axis of each bore 33 lies on a circle having an axis coaxial with the axis of and having the same radius as the circle defining the loci of the axes of bores 25. Rotation of disc 30 will therefore cause each bore 33 to be simultaneously aligned with a respective coin receiving bore 11 to receive a coin and continued rotation will bring each bore into alignment with respective coin dispensing bores 25 to simultaneously dispense coins in the respective bores 33.

To prevent more than one coin at any one time from being received in disc 30, the space between the bottom of a bushing 12 and the top of plate 20 is less than twice the thickness of the coin the particular bushing is designed for. Thus, the height of each peripheral wall 13 of each bushing may vary depending on the denomination of coin associated with the particular bushing.

Where the coin to be dispensed has an extremely large diameter, any one or more of bushings 12A-12D may be removed and inverted to allow a coin having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of bore 11 to be dispensed. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, a bushing 112 is afiixed to top plate 10 by screw 16. Bushing 112 lies on the top surface of top plate 10 and overlies a bore 11 and has an aperture 117 therein whose diameter is substantially equal to the diameter of bore 11. A coin tube 119 is received in the bushing and extends into bore 11. The spacing between the bottom of tube 119 and the top of plate 20 is adjusted to be less than twice the thickness of the coin associated with this tube. The tube may be fixed in place by means of a set-screw 120 which extends transversely in a threaded bore in bushing 112 and which may be tightened so the end of the screw abuts tube 119.

Rotation of disc 30 is effected by the gearing arrangement illustrated in FIG. 2. A pinion 34 is received in recess 29 of plate 20 and is fixedly mounted to shaft 28 and is rotatable therewith. The peripheral edge of disc 30 is provided with gear teeth 35 which are in meshing engagement with pinion 34. Thus, energization of the motor will rotate shaft 28 and thereby rotate disc 30 by means of pinion 34 and gear teeth 35. In the present embodiment illustrating the use of four coin setting combinations, disc 30 is preferably positioned so each bore 33 will be aligned with and underlie a respective bore 11 to receive a coin by gravity feed. Ideally, the gear ratio is chosen so disc 30 rotates 45 degrees for a 360 degree rotation of shaft 28. Thus, each bore 33 will have advanced to be aligned with and underlie the next succeeding bore 11 at the end of the cycle. However, the gear ratio may be changed to rotate the plate a whole multiple of 45 degrees (i.e., degrees, 135, etc.) for one rotation of the shaft to vary the amount of change dispensed in accordance with the specified requirements.

The energizing circuit for motor 27 includes a limit switch 51 (FIG. 2) which is positioned adjacent shaft 28. Thus, a bracket 36 is connected to the top of plate 10,

at the rear thereof, by any conventional means (not shown) and extends longitudinally rearwardly and receives screws 37 (from switch 51) in appropriately threaded apertures (not shown) to affix switch 51 to the top of plate 10. Switch 51 includes a depressible member 51D which is biased outwardly and which, when depressed, moves an armature 51A from one contact to another. Depression of member 51D is effected by a roller 38A which is rotatably mounted in bifurcated arm 38B which, in turn, is fixedly connected to shaft 28 by pin 38C which is fixedly received in an aperture adjacent to the top of shaft 28. Hence, member 51D will be depressed once for every 360 degree rotation of shaft 28 by roller 38A which rolls over member 51D and depresses same.

The energizing circuit for motor 27 is illustrated in FIG. 3. A lead 50 connects one terminal of a two terminal source of potential (not shown) to armature 51A of switch 51 through a serially connected fuse 53 and armature 52B and a contact 52C of an empty sensing switch 52. Contact 52D is connected to a lead 56 by a lead 54, which contains a lamp 55 serially connected therein. Lead 56 is connected to the other terminal of the source of potential. The armature 52B is caused to move from one contact to the other by a direct mechanical linkage which sense when a coin tube is empty. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, switch 52 is connected to top plate adjacent to coin tube 19C by a bracket 39. Switch 52 includes a pivoted lever 52A which extends through a cut out portion 47 of top plate 10, and terminates in a roller 48 which rides on the upper surface of disc 38. Lever 52A is connected to armature 52B and is adapted to move the armature from one contact to another. Thus, roller 48 will roll across the surface of disc 30 as disc 38 rotates. If bores 33 contain coins therein,

lever 52A will be restrained from pivoting and armature 52B will be connected to contact 52C. If, however, the bore 33 passing below roller 48 does not contain a coin therein, signifying coin tube 19C is empty, the lever will fall into bore 33 and thereby pivot to move armature 52B to contact 520 and apply the source of potential across lamp 55. It is therefore advantageous to load tube 19C with the thickest coin to be dispensed since this determines operation of switch 52. Lamp 55 may illuminate a sign indicating the mechanism is out of change. A lead 57 connects armature 52B to lead 56 through the contacts of normally open, manually operable push-button switch 58 and the winding of a relay or solenoid 59. Contact 51B of switch 51 is connected to the armature of relay 59B by a lead 60. Contact 51C of switch 51 is connected to the armature of relay 59C by a lead 62. The mechanical linkage between motor 27 and limit switch 51 shown in FIG. 2 is indicated by the broken line 38 in FIG. 3. Thus, when member 51D is depressed armature 51A will move from contact 51C to contact 51B. Contact 5913 is connected to one terminal of motor 27 by a lead 61; the other terminal of motor 27 is connected to lead 56. Contact 593 is unconnected. Contact 59C of relay 59C is connected to lead 57 between relay winding 59 and switch 58, by a lead 63. Contact 59C remains unconnected. Lead 62 is connected to the armature 64A of a conventional coin switch 64 by a lead 70. That is, armature 64A will momentarily move from one contact to another upon insertion of a coin of a preselected denomination and will move back to its original position after the coin passes through. Contact 64B of switch 64 is connected to the armature of relay 59A by a lead 65. Contact 64C is connected to lead 57, between relay winding 59 and switch 58, by a lead 66. Contact 59A of relay 59A is connected to lead 56 by a lead 67, through a conventional reject coil 68. The reject coil in the conventional manner, energizes other elements (not shown) to reject coins which are not of the preselected denomination and therefore would prevent operation of the coin switch. When the coin changing mechanism is utilized in a vending machine, the coin switch and the reject coil of the vending machine may be included in the motor energizing circuit of the present invention. Contact 59A is connected by a lead 61 to motor 27. Relay 59 controls the operation of relays 59A, 59B and 59C (as indicated by the broken line 71) and, when energized, will cause the respective armatures to move from the 1 contact to the 2 contact. Normally, the armatures of the various switches and relays will be in the position shown in FIG. 3.

In operation, the respective coin tubes 19A-19D are filled with the denomination coin they are designed for, it being understood that the respective coin tube support bushings and associated coin tubes are chosen so the required amount of coins will be dispensed when the mechanism is operated. If the coin tubes have been empty, armature 52B of empty sensing switch 52 will be connected to contact 52D thereby connecting lamp 55 across the source of potential through lead 50, fuse 53, switch 52, to leads 54 and 56. As noted above lamp 53 will illuminate a notice signifying there is no change in the mechanism. The coin tubes are filled with the thinnest denomination coin preferably placed in the location of tube 190. The operator closes switch 58 to thereby energize relay winding 59 through lead 50, switch 58 and leads 57 and 56. This will cause the armatures of relays 59A, 59B and 59C to move the respective contacts 59A 59B and 59C to thereby energize motor 27 through the circuit comprising lead 50, switch 58, leads 57 and 63, relay 59C, leads 62 and 70, switch 64, lead 65, relay 59A and leads 61 and 56. The energization of motor 27 will cause shaft 28 to rotate and consequently rotate disc 30 through pinion 34 and teeth 35. This will cause the disc to pick up coins (i.e., axially align each bore 33 below a respective bore 11) in the manner noted below. Once lever 52A is moved out of an empty bore 33 and on to the surface of disc 30, the armature 52B of switch 52 will be moved to contact 52C. Switch 52 will remain in this position until lever 52A again falls into an empty bore 33. Thus, the machine is ready for operation.

At the start of each cycle of operation respective bores 33 will be in axial alignment with a different coin receiving bore 11 to thereby receive a coin by gravity feed. Reject coil 68 will be energized through the circuit comprising lead 50, switch 51, leads 62 and 70, switch 64, relay 59A and leads 67 and 56 thereby preventing operation of switch 64 unless a coin of a preselected value is inserted into the device. When a coin of said preselected value is inserted into the associated vending machine, the coin switch will momentarily operate to move armature 64A to contact 64C to thereby energize relay winding 59 through the circuit comprising switch 52, lead 50, switch 51, leads 62 and 70, switch 64, and leads 66, 57 and 56. As noted above, the energization of relay winding 59 causes the armatures of relays 59A, 59B and 59C to be connected to respective contacts 59A 59B and 59C To keep winding 59 energized after armature 64A returns to contact 64B a holding circuit is established comprising lead 50, switch 51, lead 62, relay 59C and leads 63, 57 and 56. Motor 27 is energized through the circuit comprising lead 50, switch 51, leads 62 and 70, switch 64 (armature 64A will have moved back to contact 64B at this time), lead 65, relay 59A and leads 61 and 56. Shaft 28 will rotate and thereby rotate disc 30 through the gearing connection. Bores 33 will each carry a respective coin during rotation of disc 30 until each bore 33 is axially aligned with a respective coin dispensing bore 25 at which time the respective coin will simultaneously fall through an associated bore 25, by action of their own weight, and onto chute 26 to be dispensed at the front of the machine.

Continued rotation ofshaft 28 will bring roller 38A into contact with depressible member 51D. This will move armature 51A into connection with contact 51B thereby breaking the holding circuit and de-energizing relay winding 59. The armatures of relays 59A, 59B and 59C will respectively return to contacts 59A 59B and 59C However, motor 27 will still remain energized through the circuit connections comprising lead 50, switch 51, lead 60, relay 59B and leads 61 and 56. Shaft 28 will therefore continue to rotate until roller 38A moves out of contact with depressible member 51D, thereby allowing armature 51A to move back to contact 51C and break the motor energizing circuit which existed through contact 51B and lead 60. Thus, shaft 28 will have rotated 360 degrees or one full revolution and disc 30 will have rotated 45 degrees thereby causing bores 33 to ad vance and be aligned below respective succeeding bores 11 to again receive coins therefrom. This operation will continue upon insertion of coins of preselected denomination until the coin tube 19C is empty and empty sensing switch armature 52B moves to contact 52D to deactivate the mechanism in the manner noted above.

In many cases it may be more desirable to oscillate disc 30 rather than to intermittently rotate disc 30 in the same direction as disclosed above. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a disc 80 is fixedly received on shaft 28 in the place of pinion 38, and receives an eccentrically located pin 81 thereon. Disc 30A is provided with an upstanding member 85 adjacent aperture 32. An arm 83 having an aperture 84 at one end and a similar aperture at the other end connects disc 80 and disc 30A with pin 81 being received in aperture 84 and member 85 being received in the other aperture. The remaining elements comprising the mechanism of the present invention are the same as those described above.

To prevent jamming, arm 83 comprises two members 86 and 87 which are connected together by a spring 88 and are movable with respect to one another. As shown in FIG. 5, member 86 is slidably received in a channel 89 in member 87; the end of member 86 extends into a rectangular opening 90 in member 87. Spring 88 connects the end of member 86 to projection 91 in opening 90. Thus, members 86 and 87 will be movably toward or away from one another when disc 81 and associated pin 81 are at the dead center position to prevent jamming.

Rotation of disc 80 will cause arm 83 to move disc 30 from a position wherein each bore 33 is aligned with a respective bore 11 to receive a coin to a position wherein each bore 33 is aligned with a respective bore 25 to dispense the coins. Further rotation of disc 80 will cause arm 83 to move disc 30 back to a position wherein each bore 33 again underlies the same respective bore 11. Rotation of disc 80 is effected in the same manner that pinion 34 is rotated.

Accordingly, a coin-changing mechanism has been provided which, when actuated, will dispense a preselected amount of change and which can easily be adapted to change the coin dispensing settings. Moreover, the operation of the present device is adaptable for either intermittent rotation or oscillation. Additionally, a positive mechanical linkage between the motor shaft and a switch controlling the motor energizing circuit ensures one cycle of operation only of the device for each coin of a preselected denomination inserted.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coin dispensing mechanism, a first and a second plate each having a plurality of circumferentially spaced bores in one-to-one correspondence therethrough:

means for connecting said first and second plates together with the bores in said plates out of alignment;

stacking means for stacking coins of preselected denominations removably received in respective bores in said first plate;

a coin dispensing disc having a plurality of circumferentially spaced bores therethrough equal to the plurality of bores in said first plate;

means for rotatably mounting said coin dispensing disc between said first and second plates for movement between a first position wherein the bores in said coin dispensing disc underlie the respective bores in said first plate to receive coins from the respective stacking means, and a second position wherein the bores in said coin dispensing disc overlie the respective bores in said second plate to dispense all the coins carried by said coin dispensing disc therethrough;

a motor having a rotatable output shaft;

motor energizing means responsive to the insertion of a coin of a preselected denomination for energizing said motor;

disabling means connected to said motor shaft for deenergizing said motor at least once during one revolution of said output shaft;

and connecting means interconnecting said output shaft and said coin dispensing disc for moving said coin dispensing disc between said first and said second positions at least once during the interval of time said motor is energized.

2. A coin dispensing mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprises a driving disc fixedly mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith, a pin eccentrically located on said driving disc, and an arm having an aperture at one end and receiving said pin therein and being connected to said coin dispensing disc at the other end whereby rotation of said driving disc causes said arm to oscillate said coin dispensing disc between said first and said second positions.

3. A coin changing mechanism as defined in claim 2, wherein said arm comprises a first and a second member, said first member having a channel which slidably receives said second member therein, and a spring interconnect-ing said first and second members, whereby said members are movable toward and away from each other to prevent jamming of said means interconnecting said output shaft and said coin dispensing disc during rotation of said driving disc.

4. In a coin dispensing mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said motor energizing means includes relay means connected to said motor and adapted, when energized, to connect said motor across a source of potential; a first switch connected to said relay means and operable upon reception of a coin of a predetermined denomination to connect said relay means across a source a potential to energize said relay means; and a second switch connected to said relay means and operable from a first state to a second state to disconnect said relay means from the source of potential to de-energize said relay means and maintain the motor energized; means biasing said switch to the first state; said disabling means comprising means connected to said shaft and engageable with said second switch near the termination of one revolution of said shaft for operating said second switch to the second state land disengageable with said second switch at the termination of one revolution of said output shaft, whereby said motor remains energized a predetermined interval of time equal to the duration of time required for the output shaft to make a complete revolution,

5. In a coin dispensing mechanism as defined in claim 4, and an empty sensing switch, said empty sensing switch including an armature adapted to connect a source of potential to said motor energizing circuit when in a first position and to disconnect said motor energizing circuit from the source of potential when in a second position, said empty sensing switch further including an arm pivotally mounted on said switch and connected to said armature at one end and in engagement with the surface of said coin dispensing disc, said arm being positioned to overlie the bores in said coin dispensing disc during movement of said coin dispensing disc, whereby said arm will fall into an empty bore and pivot to move said armature from said first position to said second position to make said mechanism inoperative.

6. A motor energizing circuit for a coin dispensing mechanism of the type including a coin dispensing disc having bores therein and being movable between a coin receiving position wherein said bores receives coins therein and a coin dispensing position wherein the coins are dispensed from said bores, a motor having a rotatable output shaft, and means interconnecting said shaft and said disc for rotating said disc between coin receiving and coin dispensing positions during one revolution of said shaft, the motor energizing circuit including relay means connected to said motor and adapted, when energized, to connect said mot-or across a source of potential; a first switch connected to said relay means and operable upon reception of a coin of a predetermined denomination to connect said relay means across a source of potential to energize said relay means; and a second switch connected to said relay means and operable from a first state to a second state to disconnect said relay means from the source of potential to de-energize said relay means and maintain the motor energized; means biasing said switch to the first state; and means connected to said shaft and engageable with said second switch near the termination of one revolution of said shaft for operating said second switch to the second state and disengageable with said second switch at the termination of one revolution of said output shaft, whereby said motor remains energized a predetermined interval of time equal to the duration of time required for the output shaft to make a complete revolution.

7. A motor energizing circuit for a coin dispensing mechanism as defined in claim 6, and an empty sensing switch, said empty sensing switch including an armature adapted to connect a source of potential to said motor energizing circuit when in a first position and to disconnect sa-id motor energizing circuit from the source of potential when in a second position, said empty sensing switch further including an arm pivotally mounted on said switch and connected to said armature at one end and in engagement with the surface of said coin dispensing disc, said arm being positioned to overlie the bores in said coin dispensing disc during movement of said coin dispensing disc, whereby said arm will fall into an empty bore and pivot to move said armature from said first position to said second position to make said mechanism inoperative.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,112,511 3/1938 Williams.

2,489,765 11/1949 Emerson et al. 22193 X 2,621,771 12/1952 Merrill 19410 2,669,336 2/1954 Hunsinger 194-10 2,848,003 8/1958 Gross 133-2 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Examiner. 

1. IN A COIN DISPENSING MECHANISM, A FIRST AND A SECOND PLATE EACH HAVING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED BORES IN ONE-TO-ONE CORRESPONDENCE THERETHROUGH: MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLATES TOGETHER WITH THE BORES IN SAID PLATES OUT OF ALIGNMENT; STACKING MEANS FOR STACKING COINS OF PRESELECTED DENOMINATIONS REMOVABLY RECEIVED IN RESPECTIVE BORES IN SAID FIRST PLATE; A COIN DISPENSING DISC HAVING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED BORES THERETHROUGH EQUAL TO THE PLURALITY OF BORES IN SAID FIRST PLATE; MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID COIN DISPENSING DISC BETWEEN A FIRST AND SECOND PLATES FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN THE BORES IN SAID COIN DISPENSING DISC UNDERLIE THE RESPECTIVE BORES IN SAID FIRST PLATE TO RECEIVE COINS FROM THE RESPECTIVE STACKING MEANS, AND A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN THE BORES IN AID COIN DISPENSING DISC OVERLIE THE RESPECTIVE BORES IN SAID SECOND PLATE TO DISPENSE ALL THE COINS CARRIED BY SAID COIN DISPENSING DISC THERETHROUGH; A MOTOR HAVING A ROTATABLE OUTPUT SHAFT; MOTOR ENERGIZING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE INSERTION OF A COIN OF A PRESELECTED DENOMINATION FOR ENERGIZING SAID MOTOR; DISABLING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR SHAFT FOR DEENERGIZING SAID MOTOR AT LEAST ONCE DURING ONE REVOLUTION OF SAID OUTPUT SHAFT; AND CONNECTING MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID OUTPUT SHAFT AND SAID COIN DISPENSING DISC FOR MOVING SAID COIN DISPENSING DISC BETWEE SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND POSITIONS AT LEAST ONCE DURING THE INTERVAL OF TIME SAID MOTOR IS ENERGIZED. 